Ash End House Children’s Farm and The Big Play Barn is committed to providing an enjoyable, inclusive and safe experience for all visitors.
We welcome visitors with disabilities, additional needs, learning disabilities, autism, sensory impairments and other support requirements, together with their families, carers and support workers.
As a working farm and busy children’s attraction, we also have a duty to protect the safety and wellbeing of all visitors, our staff and our animals. This includes safeguarding children and vulnerable people and ensuring everyone can enjoy their visit safely.
Group Visits
ALL group visits, must be booked in advance by contacting groups@childrensfarm.co.uk with information regarding the age of the visitors, the nature of your organisation, the dates you are interested in and any further relevant information. We will assess your requirements and enter into a dialogue to ensure that we can provide an appropriate and enjoyable visit for your group.
Accessible Visits Scheme for individuals requiring Essential Care or Support.
We ask organisations and individuals who require an essential carer or support worker to book their visit in advance and pay a small booking deposit. PLEASE NOTE THIS BOOKING AND ACCESSIBLE ACCESS FORM IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL THE 5TH JULY. Please contact us by email should your visit occur before then.
Advance booking forms part of our Accessible Visits Scheme, which enables us to provide free admission for essential carers, consider any reasonable adjustments that may be required and help ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for everyone. Free essential-carer admission is therefore available only through the Accessible Visits booking process and cannot be issued on arrival without a prior booking.
This scheme allows us to:
Provide free admission for an essential carer; understand any support or accessibility requirements before arrival; identify any reasonable adjustments that may help; ensure suitable staffing where appropriate; assess any foreseeable health and safety considerations; safeguard all visitors.
The information provided is used solely to help us plan the visit safely and appropriately. This assessment helps identify any support requirements and any reasonably foreseeable risks that may affect the visitor themselves, other visitors, staff or animals. It is not an assessment of disability. Many visitors will require no additional control measures beyond their normal supervision.
Throughout the visit, responsibility for the supervision and support of the visitor remains with their parent, carer or support worker. As part of the booking process, we ask that the Visitor Support Assessment is completed, contained within the booking form. This enables both the visiting organisation (or family) and our team to identify any support requirements, consider reasonable adjustments and ensure that any foreseeable health, safety or safeguarding considerations are understood before the visit.
Using the information provided, we will assess how best to support your visit and, where appropriate, discuss any additional arrangements or reasonable adjustments that may help ensure a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Where the information indicates that additional control measures may be required, we will contact the booking organiser to discuss these before confirming the booking.
In most cases, suitable arrangements can be agreed. However, in exceptional circumstances, where an individual assessment identifies a significant foreseeable risk that cannot be reduced to an acceptable level through reasonable adjustments or additional control measures, we may need to modify the visit, offer an alternative date or format, or, as a last resort, decline the booking. Any such decision will be based solely on an individual assessment of the specific circumstances and not on a person’s disability or diagnosis. Where a booking cannot proceed, any deposit or booking fees paid will be refunded in full.
Refunds
We recognise that, for some visitors with additional needs, unforeseen health or wellbeing issues may make it difficult to attend on the planned date. To support this, we offer the flexibility to reschedule your visit or receive a full refund of your deposit, even where cancellation takes place after the intended visit date.
Attraction Specific Information
Indoor Play Barn
The Big Play Barn has age restrictions which apply equally to all visitors.
Organised group bookings are accepted for children aged 7 years and under (except pre-booked birthday parties).
Individual use of the play equipment is intended for children aged 12 years and under. Older children or adults may ONLY enter the play equipment when accompanying a younger sibling or family member as part of a family visit.
Entry will NOT be permitted for anyone older than 12 who is not there for the purpose of attending with a younger family member. This restriction prevents teenagers or adults from entering the play barn for safety and safeguarding reasons.
These age limits are based on the design and safe operation of the play equipment and venue and apply to every visitor regardless of disability or additional need.
Farm Park
Visitors of all ages are welcome within the Farm Park however our activities are designed for children’s enjoyment and generally adults are invited to watch but not participate.
Where visitors require additional support, we will work with families, carers and organisations to make reasonable adjustments wherever reasonably practicable, while maintaining the safety and welfare of visitors, staff and animals. Some activities are subject to specific safety requirements. Participation in certain activities may therefore be limited by factors such as height, weight, mobility, the ability to follow safety instructions, or the need to interact calmly and safely with animals. In addition, some areas of the farm may occasionally be inaccessible due to weather conditions or operational considerations, for example when ground conditions make access to the lower field unsafe or where safe access to the tractor trailer cannot be achieved. Where a visitor is unable to take part in a particular activity, our staff will always seek to explain the reason and, wherever reasonably practicable, offer an alternative way for them to enjoy the experience. Any decision to restrict participation will be based solely on the safety requirements of the activity and the individual circumstances at the time, and not on a person’s disability or diagnosis.
If you have any questions about a decision made during your visit, please ask to speak to the Duty Manager, who will be happy to discuss the reasons and any alternative arrangements that may be available.
The Children's Farm 